Twenty-Five Minutes
by Kourin
Summary: I corrected the mistakes, so I hope it's a polished piece of work. It's still a bit sad, so grab some tissues. It's K/N AND K/C. read to find out why. Hee Hee Hee. I can satisfy two types of people at once!


The dusty road to tortall was usually empty around midwinter, as most people were done traveling for the year

A/N: This is the newly revised version, where I fixed all the mistakes. For those of you who have no idea who Khari is, read my other fic, Squire.****

**Twenty-Five Minutes**

**The dusty road to Tortall was usually empty around midwinter, as most people were done traveling for the year. Yet a single figure rode slowly down the road. The snow and the road had taken its toll on horse and rider both. Still, a bright light shone in the riders eyes…after four years, he was finally back. **

**_After some time I´ve finally made up my mind_**_  
****she is the girl and I really want to make her mine_

Cleon brushed red curls out of his face, and shifted restlessly on his horse. The road had been long and hard, but he was coming back at last. Nodding at the Bazhir guards, he urged the horse forward. It had been so long since his last visit here…four long years. 

Four years full of longing and nostalgia. Four years, where every minute, every second was clouded with a picture of _her_. 

Kel. I'm back.

**_I´m searching everywhere to find her again_**_  
****to tell her I love her  
**and I´m sorry ´bout the things I´ve done **_

**The streets of Tortall seemed a bit empty, and lonely. As if everyone was attending a festival or something. The fact only bothered the young knight for a minute…no more.**

**The Mindelan's Tortallan home was empty, not a word, not a sound. Lalasa's dress shop was empty also. Closed—for the day.**

**Finally, he arrived in front of the King's Reach Villa. Faleron would know where Kel was, surely, or at least Khari would. Cleons' knock was stopped short, the other knight was on his way out. Khari behind him. Both were in formal attire, and Khari had on a new piece of jewelery. Cleon grinned when he saw the engagement ring on her finger. **

**"Congratu—" He started to say. But stopped short at the gasp from Khari and the sad look in Faleron's face. **

**"No." Khari said, a pleading look in her eyes. "Not now. Not today. Mithros. Why today?"**

**Faleron's eyes were shadowed, "Come with us." He said. "We have to show you something."**

**The trip to the palace was slow…no one talked. Cleon knew something was wrong. Something had happened to his beloved Kel…but what?**

**The carriage stopped in front of a palace courtyard. Cleon glanced out and smiled. Someone was getting married, for the courtyard was wonderfully decorated: a winter wonderland. **

**Midwinter Weddings. Kel would have liked that.**

**Khari silently took her friends hand, and pulled him toward the celebration. The bride was in a beautiful dress, white and plain, yet still beautiful. Just like Kel. **

**The priest was speaking, a rich baritone voice. "…take this man, to be your husband? To love, and to cherish…" **

**The bride turned to look at her husband to be… In that single moment, Cleons' heart plummeted from it's once high perch…**

**It was Kel.**

**_I find her standing in front of the church_**_  
****the only place in town where I didn´t search  
**She looks so happy in her wedding dress**  
**but she´s crying while she´s saying this **_

**Kel gasped, and stopped mid-turn. One by one, others turned to look at the newcomer. Raold, standing hand in hand with Shinkokami. Lady Alanna with George. Raoul and Buri. Inness, Anders, Conal, Ilane and her husband, still shorter than their daughter. Owen. Seaver. Merric. Prosper. All his friends. Here to see his Kel to be wed. To someone else. **

**Cleon glanced at the bridegroom. Neal. **

**Of course, he thought. Neal. The one who was always there for Kel. Her best friend, even when she loved him, Cleon. He had abandoned her, promising to come back someday. While he went off to "seek his fortune."**

**"Cleon?" Kel asked, breaking the silence.**

**_Boy I´ve missed your kisses all the time but this is_**_  
****twenty-five minutes too late  
**Though you traveled so far boy I´m sorry you're**  
**twenty-five minutes too late **_

**__****"Why?" Kel asked. "Why now? Why today? Why didn't you come earlier? When I still loved you like I did?"**

**Neal looked at Cleon, his eyes looked sorry, painful. I wanted you to have her, they said. But that was a long time ago. Now…**

**Cleon stared straight ahead, letting his eyes rest on a stone statue of the Goddess, not letting himself believe what was happening. **

**"Cleon please." Kel was crying now, silently. She tried in vain to stop, but her Yamani calm was broken. "Please understand. I don't have those feelings I had for you. You were gone too long, I waited. I really did. But two years passed, then three, and I had no more memories to go over."**

**Kel stopped, unable to go on, and just stared at Cleon, tears streaming down her face. Khari and Shinko walked over and held their friend, who was crying. On her wedding day.**

**_Out in the streets_**_  
****places where hungry hearts have nothing to eat  
**inside my head**  
**still I can hear the words she said **_

**Cleon smiled sadly. He heard himself mumble something incomprehensible, something about not having a gift to give the happy couple. Sorry he wasn't dressed for the occasion. Sorry for abandoning her four years ago. Sorry for leaving. Sorry for all the tears she'd shed.**

**Sorry for loving her…**

**_Boy I´ve missed your kisses all the time but this is_**_  
****twenty-five minutes too late  
**Though you traveled so far boy I´m sorry you're**  
**twenty-five minutes too late**_

**Kel turned around to look at the priest.**

** **

**"I do."**

** **

**A/N: ::sniffle:: This is K/C for my friend. I still like K/N better. I corrected my mistakes! Like it? Still review!The Song is by Michael Learns to Rock**


End file.
